Courting
by hogwarts-is-frozen
Summary: The duties and expectations of a young queen-to-be can often be daunting, but Elsa had always held on to the faint hope that marriage would not be one of them. A one-shot of the only time that Elsa raised her voice to her father, set in the same universe as Frozen Onward. Don't need to have read my other fanfic to understand what is happening.


**Alright kids here is the first instalment of what I hope is a vast collection of one-shots. This one is rather short but I am hoping the next one will be longer. Not based off any prompt, just something that popped into my head while writing FO. **

****Synopsis - The duties and expectations of a young queen-to-be can often be daunting, but Elsa had always held on to the faint hope that marriage would not be one of them. A one-shot of the only time that Elsa raised her voice to her father, set in the same universe as Frozen Onward. Don't need to have read my other fanfic to understand what is happening.****

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><p>It was days like this that Elsa treasured most.<p>

No lessons, no sitting in on diplomatic meetings with her father, no paperwork. She'd even had a pleasant conversation with Anna that morning regarding what to get their mother for her up and coming birthday. The girls rarely spoke for more than a few minutes and when they did it was even more rare for them to talk without one or both of them ending up upset or frustrated. The interaction had left her in such a good mood that the blonde had decided to leave the confines of her room for a few hours.

The young queen-to-be was currently enjoying her free time in the castle's well-stocked library, reading at her favourite seat by the window. It had the best lighting as well providing Elsa a lovely view of the castle gardens and every once in a while, a glimpse of strawberry-blonde braids.

Today however, Elsa was not looking outside. She was reading a rather thrilling play about a man who was plotting to murder a king all because of a prophecy. She had become fascinated when in the end he couldn't bring himself to do it and instead it was his wife who delivered the fatal strike. She had become so fully engrossed in the novel that she did not hear the library door open.

King Agdar watched his daughter for a few moments, his mouth set in a hard line. Although happy that Elsa found such joy in learning, he worried about her unwillingness to socialize. She should be out with her sister or spending time with girls her own age, not sitting in her room all day like some sickly child.

He realized that he was partially to blame for this. He'd allowed Elsa to believe that she was dangerous, and each day that found princess still wearing her gloves like a security blanket, was a day the King felt an even greater amount of shame.

"Elsa?" he called, knocking softly on the doorframe to get her attention before taking a few steps into the room.

The princess looked up from the page and when she saw that it was her father offered one of her rare little smiles. "Hello papa, I thought you had a meeting with the French Ambassador today?" she asked politely. Though she wasn't complaining, Elsa always enjoyed time spent with her father.

"I've just finished. What are you reading?" he asked sitting down next to her, making sure to leave plenty of room between them.

Elsa closed the book and turned it so that the title was facing up.

"Ah Macbeth, good choice. '_That is a step On which I must fall down, or else o'erleap, For in my way it lies. Stars, hide your fires; Let not light see my black and deep desires. The eye wink at the hand; yet let that be Which the eye fears, when it is done, to see.'" _he said, speaking as much with his hands as with his voice.

The blonde had always admired the way her father was able to quote almost everything he read word for word and had seen first hand how often it came in handy during debates.

"Do you understand what Macbeth is saying in that scene?"

Elsa thought for a beat. "I think he is trying to decide if his desire to be king is wrong," she responded, almost like a question.

They often engaged in games such as this, where the King would recite a poem or a line from a play such as this and she would try and guess the hidden meaning behind it.

Agdar grinned proudly at his eldest daughter and nodded. "Very good. The character is having an internal struggle with his ambition. Should he take matters into his own hands in order to achieve what he desires or is he supposed to let chance decide his fate."

"I suppose in the end it was his wife who made the decision for him," Elsa said, a hint of mirth to her statement.

"Sounds like your mother," the King replied with a wink, causing Elsa to chuckle. "Don't tell her I said that."

"Your secret's safe with me," she said. "So, how did your meeting go?" she asked setting the book aside and folding her gloved hands neatly in her lap.

"I don't think I have ever seen a man talk for so long without taking a breath in my life. Which is regrettable because he has terrible breath. I'm told he eats a healthy diet of onions because a gypsy told him it would cause his hair to grow back," the man said shaking his head.

"Oh dear, that is unfortunate. What did he need to talk with you about anyway?" Elsa asked hoping that whatever it was wouldn't mean more work for her.

This was the part of the conversation the King had be dreading most. "That is what I came to speak with you about Elsa," he answered slowly.

Something in his tone caused Elsa's chest to tighten with dread.

"It seems that Prince Michel, a fine young lad I'm told, served three years as a naval officer, is looking to settled down. The Ambassador was delivering an request for permission of courtship - "

Elsa's stomach dropped. Tendrils of anxiety began clawing there way into her chest and she felt the familiar tingling in her fingers as her magic responded to its master's emotions.

_Conceal, don't feel. Conceal, don't feel. Conceal, don't feel._

The topic of marriage had always been regarded like a plague since Elsa had reached womanhood; recognized by everyone but never addressed. The girl had clung to the hope that her parents would recognize absurdity of the idea.

" – invited him to stay in Arendelle so that he may court you properly," he finished.

"What!" she cried, standing up abruptly eyes wide with fear. "Father no, how could you do that?" Elsa said, hurt written all over her face. She had never felt so betrayed in all her life.

The queen-to-be began to feel herself panicking as she started pacing back and forth across the room, raking her hands through her hair. Her heart was pounding against her ribcage and it was becoming increasing difficult to breath.

Marriage meant revealing her powers, marriage meant leaving the comfort and security of her room, marriage meant… touching.

She was going to be sick.

"Elsa you are 18 years old, and you have been receiving offers of courtship since you were 12. It is high time we actually started responding to them. I won't be around forever and I want to make sure you are taken care of," he said gently, feeling the temperature of the room steadily dropping the more worked up the girl became.

"I don't need someone to take care of me, I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself!" Her fear began to turn into anger. "Besides, I doubt most men would find the notion of being accidently frozen by their wife very appealing!"

"Elsa I have told you before that you are never going to improve your control if you stay in locked in that room for the rest of your life. You just need more practice." Agdar said, growing frustrated.

"More practice!" she shouted angrily, frost weaving in crackling patterns under her slippers and quickly spreading outward. "What do you think I have been doing for the last 10 years!"

"Do not use that tone with me young lady!" he scolded, rising to his feet and fixing her in his steely gaze.

Elsa looked away. "I'm sorry father I didn't… please don't make me. I can't -," she said, voice cracking in desperation.

"This is not up for debate Elsa. You _will_ meet these men, and you will find a husband. It is your responsibility as the future queen of Arendelle. I expect you to make your peace with it by the time your mother and I return from your cousin's wedding and that is final. Understand?"

The blonde hung her head in defeat. "Yes father," she replied softly.

He sighed sadly and at that moment desperately wished he could hold her to him but knew she needed her personal space. "Elsa I know you are scared, but I promise everything will be okay."

Elsa simply nodded in response without looking up, arms wrapped tightly around her torso.

"Good. I will see you at dinner," he said exiting the library. The moment the door had shut behind him he felt the handle grow ice cold and heard quiet sobs coming from the other side of the wood. The sounds tore at him; hearing his daughter is such pain broke the King's heart. All he could do was pray that Elsa would eventually grow more accepting of the idea as he made his way back to his study.

Elsa did not come down to dinner that evening.


End file.
